Ludovicus Carolus Zielens (13 June 1901–28 November 1944) was a Belgian novelist and journalist.^[1] He wrote many novels, his Moeder, waarom leven wij? [nl] being the most well known.^[1] He also received several awards in recognition of his work.^[1]

Biography

Life and works

Zielens was born in Antwerp to a poor family and worked in the docks. His first work, Schoolkolonie, was published in Elsevier's Monthly Magazine.^[1] This brought him into contact with literary circles, including the writers Herman Robbers and Frans Verschoren.^[1] Verschoren found Zielens an office job, but this was not to his liking.^[1]

Schoolkolonie received a number of awards, which led to Zielens joining as an editor the Socialist newspaper Volksgazet (now absorbed by De Morgen). Het duistere bloed of 1931 was a further success. His 1934 novel Moeder, waarom leven wij? is seen as his finest work and was filmed in 1993.^[1]

Zielens was killed in a V-2 rocket attack at the end of World War II. He is buried at the Schoonselhof cemetery in Antwerp.^[1]